Pascal Zrour - your personal drum coach
When I was learning to play something new on the drums, I was always thinking that there must be a simple trick to be able to play anything that you want. I was struggling with keeping a steady right hand while my right foot is playing difficult bass drum rhythms. When I found out that there is a trick to it, my playing ability went through the roof. I just had to know how to coordinate my movements and understand exactly what is going on when you play the drums, from a simple beat to complex chops. In my online drumming course, I demonstrate how this works, so you too can play anything you want.
The beginning
It all started when I was twelve years old when my cousin Edwin showed me what he could do with a few drumsticks. He played with his drum sticks on the table, and I was immediately impressed. He said maybe drumming was something for me too. Not long after, I was on my way to my first private drum lesson after school. I didn’t have a drum set yet, but my parents bought it after a few lessons.
It was a rather old jazz drum set with drum sizes for which no skins were available at the time. I gave the set a decent makeover, and with a lot of effort, I still bought 1 or 2 drum heads that I still managed to place on the drums despite the wrong size. Even though the snare drum wasn’t bad, I was only really captivated by the drum sound when the marching band loaned me a Ludwig snare drum. During my time with the drum corps, this snare naturally was placed with my drum set.
Music development
As it often happens, the magic got kind of lost after a few years. The set was now also in the attic in a house that was a bit too noisy to play regularly, but drumming was not completely forgotten. Shortly before I was 18, I got warmed up to the guitar after listening to old Prince records (before 1999 and Purple Rain). Guitar and home lessons were purchased. I sold the drum set and a drum computer replaced it with the money.
The drum machine was played as much as the guitar for many years, and eventually, a band was formed. It took time, but in 2000 the band had enough of our own work, with most of the music written by me. We made a CD, which was recorded in the studio I built myself in the house I rented at the time. Since I had a soundproof room available, it wasn’t a bad idea to buy another drum set. After all, I could play to my heart’s content without driving the neighbors crazy. This time a new top middle class from my favorite brand Sonor with Sabien cymbals. And indeed the drum virus was in my body again.
A new start
After night school for 4 years and therefore a career change to an independent entrepreneur as a graphic designer, I felt there was time and place again to work on drumming seriously. I found Bernard Beeftink, owner of Drumpraktijk Amersfoort, as my drum teacher. Bernard was not only the best teacher I ever met, but he also became a good friend to me.
My current drum set was exchanged for a Sonor SQ2. After 3 years of lessons (from a total of 6 years of lessons from Bernhard Beeftink), I started giving private lessons to young people from 6 years old. During this time, I replaced my drum set again with a Sonor SQ2. This set I still have up to this day with all Meinl cymbals.
Current events
After 33 years of drumming experience and more than 3 years of teaching experience, it was time to write a book. Through a lot of self-study and teaching, I had come up with many drum exercises, written them down, and taught my students.
I discovered that there are a lot of fairly simple exercises that form a very solid foundation for a beginner drummer. I started playing these exercises late in my drumming career, but that’s why I notice the big difference between what I could do before this exercise and what I can now do after this exercise. The way of practicing described in my book has accelerated my drumming, which has also increased the pleasure of playing. As of 2023 I have 44 years of drumming, and 8 years of teaching experience
